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Substitutes for Cider Vinegar

Common substitutes for cider vinegar are Lemon Juice, Rice Vinegar, and Red Wine Vinegar, with ratios below.

AcidFlavor CarrierPreservativeTenderizer

Substitutes (3)

  • Lemon Juice

    Okay with tweaks

    1:1

    BakingSauteingSlow CookGrillingSteamingRaw ColdDrinks

  • Rice Vinegar

    Okay with tweaks

    1 1/4:1

    BakingSauteingSlow CookSteamingRaw ColdDrinks

  • Red Wine Vinegar

    Okay with tweaks

    1:1

    SauteingSlow CookGrillingRaw ColdDrinks

FAQ

What else is Cider Vinegar known as?

Cider Vinegar is known as apple cider vinegar, cider, apple vinegar, cidre vinegar, and acv.

What does Cider Vinegar taste like?

Cider Vinegar is strong on acidity, light on pungency, light on sweetness, and light on bitterness.

What is the texture like dry?
  • Thin, watery liquid with a sharp bite on the nose.
  • Pours like water, no viscosity to speak of.
What is the texture like when heated?
  • Stays thin liquid when heated.
  • Acidity softens and mellows but the watery consistency doesn't change.
How is Cider Vinegar used in recipes?

Cider Vinegar is use for salad dressings, quick pickles, marinades, and braises where you need brightness or tang. Reacts with baking soda for lift in some baked goods. Add near the end of cooking to keep its sharpness. Store at room temperature, tightly capped, away from light.

Does water content matter?

Cider Vinegar has high water content. Adds moisture; can thin batters or release liquid when heated.

Cooking methods

Works well

  • Baking

    Reacts with baking soda for lift in cakes and quick breads. Adds tang, cuts sweetness, brightens spice mixes.

  • Sauteing

    Deglazes pans well, lifting browned bits. Add off heat or late to keep sharpness from cooking off.

  • Slow Cook

    Mellows over hours, softening meat fibers and balancing rich braises. Add early for tenderizing, late for brightness.

  • Raw Cold

    Sharp and bright in dressings, slaws, and quick pickles. No cooking needed to bring out its bite.

  • Drinks

    Adds tang to shrubs, switchels, and vinegar-based sodas. Dilute well, a little goes a long way.

Methods to avoid (3)
  • Frying

    Not used for frying. High heat burns off the acidity you're after.

  • Grilling

    Works as a marinade component before grilling, not during. Direct heat isn't how it's used here.

  • Steaming

    No real role in steaming. Better added after, as a finishing splash on vegetables.